Frank Ocean Biography

Frank Ocean was born in 1987 in Long Beach, California, and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. The jazz influences of the city inspired the young Frank from an early age, and by the time he was a teenager, he was raising money for studio time by performing odd jobs around the neighborhood. The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina forced Ocean to move to Los Angeles so that he could continue recording, and although the move was initially a temporary solution, it ended up becoming a permanent change of residence for Frank.

While in Los Angeles, Frank Ocean began forging relationships with others in the music business, and he began to write music for other artists while recording his own demos and shopping them to local producers. Ocean eventually released Nostaglia, Ultra (his debut mixtape) featuring “Swim Good” and “Novacane,” both which were well-received. He signed a contract with Def Jam Recordings, and appearances at the Lollapalooza and Coachella festivals in 2012 preceded the release of Frank Ocean’s debut album, Channel Orange, which featured three hit singles: “Sweet Life,” “Pyramids,” “and Thinkin Bout You.” The album was critically acclaimed, earning notable accolades, including: the Soul Train Music Award’s Album of the Year; multiple Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist, Record of the Year, and Album of the Year; and a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

In addition to his own music, Frank Ocean has also collaborated with other artists, including Jay-Z and West for their single, “No Church in the Wild,” which garnered him another Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Most recently, Ocean has also been praised for his public revelation of his affections for another man, breaking a long-standing and outdated taboo against homosexuality in the African-American music community.